


wearing and tearing

by nezstorm



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Age Difference, Angst, Hospitals, Hurt, Hurt Stiles, Injury, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2019-06-29 03:24:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15720993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nezstorm/pseuds/nezstorm
Summary: “I think I'm in love with you and I'm terrified,” he whispers.





	wearing and tearing

“I think I'm in love with you and I'm terrified,” he whispers.

 

He can do that now, bare his heart and get away with it because they’re alone in the room and Stiles is asleep. Has been asleep for three days after the operation. 

 

It’s long past visiting hours and for once he doesn’t have to worry about Melissa popping in to check in on Stiles as she makes the rounds. At least not until the morning shift begins.

 

He’s been here every night since he and Isaac brought Stiles in. He’s been the one to carry Stiles into the hospital, bleeding and passed out from the pain, with Isaac running in first to alert the staff. 

 

He’s been the one to tell the sheriff exactly what went down.

 

He sat there in the plastic chair with Stiles’ friends, his pack and family around him, all of them waiting for Stiles to get out of surgery. He watched the wolves for signs, aware that at least Scott would be focusing his hearing on Stiles’ heartbeat, Peter and Erica too. Derek. 

 

Watched them until first Peter’s, and then Scott’s shoulders dropped in relief. Waited to catch a glimpse of Stiles, so pale and fragile, in the hospital bed and then he was gone and out of view. 

 

He couldn’t excuse lingering there to watch Stiles breathe, couldn’t catch his wrist to make sure the pulse is there and growing strong. Not without them learning the truth.

 

How does one explain an adult man falling in love with an impossible boy younger than his own child? He can’t even explain it to himself.

 

He can’t say it’s because Stiles seems so much older, so much wiser that his peers. That he’s too smart for his own good, and too burdened with life. Too clever and reckless. Too hard. 

 

Impossibly beautiful. 

 

He could never and he doesn’t intend to try. 

 

But they’re alone and Stiles is asleep, and Chris has to be honest at least with himself. Has to say it this once when he has the chance and never say it again. Just hold Stiles’ hand in both of his and whisper the words into Stiles’ open palm.

 

This once. 

 

But once is more than enough and Stiles’ hand is moving in his hold until the boy is cupping his cheek.

 

“You’re such a fucking mess, Chris,” Stiles rasps, voice hoarse and smile blinding, “But I love you, too.”


End file.
